William Davis Shimer Great Books Scholarship

In June 2017, North Central College successfully acquired the Shimer Great Books program from Shimer College. This acquisition led to the creation of the Shimer Great Books School within North Central College, an academic unit dedicated to the study of primary texts (as opposed to textbooks) in the traditional liberal arts.

In 2021, the College received a $1 million gift from the estate of William J. Davis to establish the William J. Davis Scholarship for Shimer Great Books. This scholarship was created to provide financial assistance to Shimer students and to honor the legacy of Davis, a longtime resident of Mount Carroll and a dedicated supporter of Shimer College. The scholarship is awarded based on financial need and/or merit and can be applied toward tuition, room and board, books, and fees. Recipients are expected to embody the inquisitive spirit of William J. Davis, who was a successful farmer in Mount Carroll—Shimer College’s birthplace—and took great pride in witnessing the growth of the Shimer program during his lifetime.

Scholarship criteria:

• Full-time student
• Shimer major or minor, who continues to make progress toward earning a degree from the Shimer Great Books School
• 3.0 GPA
• Involvement in campus and community activities
• Preference is given to students with financial need.
• Applicants must submit an essay addressing why they want to pursue a Shimer major or minor and describe how it relates to their general academic interests and goals.
• Preference given to previous scholarship recipients

The William Davis Scholarship for Shimer Great Books Scholarship may be renewed at the discretion of Shimer faculty and funding availability.